COS volleyball enjoyed a 15-season run with head coach Pete
Rasmussen. In the 2014 season though, Rasmussen is passing the torch to
assistant coach, Kimberly Steele Rix, who will now serve as the team’s head
coach. Rix, who coached under Rasmussen for nine seasons and played for him for
three, is honored to follow in his footsteps; “he was my mentor.”

“I’m really excited,” says Rix of her new position,
admitting she hoped COS would choose her to lead the team. She says it’s an
added benefit to the players, to have someone who understands Rasmussen’s style
and strategy and can offer continuity during this change. Rix is also happy to
have her assistant coaches, “two great guys,” Patrick Buyayo and George Ghattas
at her side.

The team has done well in previous seasons, Rix says. She is
optimistic for this coming season and plans to use it as an opportunity to
re-energize the program. A handful of players will return to the team and the
rest is composed of a new group of women, mainly from the area and close surrounding
towns with one coming south to us from Washington state.

Rix abides by the philosophy of, “work hard and play hard.”
She says what really makes the team great is, “the girls I’ve got are there to
play volleyball… they want to play,” and they, “want to win.”

The season officially kicks off in the fall, with practice
starting in August, but the volleyball team is not idle. Rix says that they are
involved in a conditioning class taught by Joe D’Agostino, Giants football
assistant coach. The class is part of a new program
at COS Athletics. It involves weight and circuit training and other exercise to
keep the student athletes ready for their respective seasons.